Tobacco/marijuana/hemp product and method for producing a tobacco/marijuana/hemp product for use in vaping device

ABSTRACT

A method for preparing a wetted vaping product for use with a vaping device includes providing dried leaf matter having been dried to remove moisture content therefrom; one of wetting, soaking, and immersing the dried leaf matter in a solvent; rehydrating the leaf matter with the solvent to increase overall weight of the dried leaf matter at least 5% to 10%; and sizing the leaf matter before and/or after the act of wetting, soaking, and immersing to fit within the vaping device. Another method includes providing leaf matter containing plant oil; mixing the leaf matter and a liquid solvent by immersing and/or soaking the leaf matter with the liquid solvent in a sterile container for at least 30 days; extracting liquid from the mixture of leaf matter and the liquid solvent; and filtering the separated liquid to remove the leaf matter of 3.5 microns to larger from the separated liquid.

The present application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/263,902, filed Jan. 31, 2019, and claims benefit of Provisional Application No. 62/625,171, filed Feb. 1, 2018; Application No. 62/627,956, filed Feb. 8, 2018; and Application No. 62/627,964, filed Feb. 8, 2018; all of which are incorporated by reference herein

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The technology of the present invention is generally related to a tobacco product or a marijuana or hemp product and a method for producing the same. As discussed below, the resulting products can be wetted leaf matter or vaping liquids for use in a vaping device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vaping has become a very popular alternative to smoking of cigarettes. Using a typical vaping device, materials such as wetted solids and liquids can be vaporized and the resulting vapor can be inhaled by a user. As such, there is a corresponding need for processes for preparing the materials suitable for vaporization. The present disclosure is directed to processes for the preparation of wetted solids and vaping liquids made using tobacco, marijuana, or hemp.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The techniques of this disclosure generally relate to a tobacco product or a marijuana or hemp product and a method for producing the same.

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides for a method for preparing a wetted vaping product for use with a vaping device, the method includes providing one of tobacco, marijuana, or hemp as dried leaf matter, the dried leaf matter having been dried to remove moisture content therefrom; one of wetting, soaking, and immersing the dried leaf matter in a solvent or solvents; rehydrating the leaf matter with the solvent or solvents to increase overall weight of the dried leaf matter at least 5% to 10%; and sizing the leaf matter before and/or after the act of wetting, soaking, and immersing to fit within the vaping device.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides for a method for preparing a wetted vaping product for use with a vaping device, the method includes providing one of tobacco, marijuana, or hemp as dried leaf matter, the dried leaf matter having been dried to remove moisture content therefrom; one of wetting, soaking, and immersing the dried leaf matter in a solvent or solvents; rehydrating the leaf matter with the solvent or solvents to increase overall weight of the dried leaf matter at least 40% to 50%; and sizing the leaf matter before and/or after the act of wetting, soaking, and immersing to fit within the vaping device.

In yet another aspect, the present disclosure provides for a method for preparing a vaping liquid, the method includes providing leaf matter containing plant oil; mixing the leaf matter and a liquid solvent or liquid solvents by immersing and/or soaking the leaf matter with the liquid solvent or liquid solvents in a sterile container for at least 30 days; and extracting liquid from the mixture of leaf matter and the liquid solvent or liquid solvents, and filtering the separated liquid to remove the leaf matter of 3.5 microns to larger from the separated liquid.

The details of one or more aspects of the disclosure are set forth in the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the techniques described in this disclosure will be apparent from the description and from the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are related to a tobacco/marijuana/hemp product in the form of a wetted leaf matter and related to a tobacco product in the form of a vaping liquid. The following description describes processes for preparation of the resulting products.

To prepare the wetted leaf matter, tobacco or marijuana or hemp is provided. The tobacco or marijuana or hemp used in the tobacco/marijuana/hemp product can be corresponding leaf matter in, for example, chopped leaf or cube form. The leaf matter is first wetted/soaked/immersed in a solvent. If desirable, the wetting/soaking/immersion can be performed in a suitable container. The process employs a solvent such as propylene glycol. Preferably, Archer Daniels Midland 1,2 USP grade Propylene Glycol is used. It is noted that other solvents such as 1,3 Propanediol, high grade (90 proof or better) alcohol (ethanol), and/or glycerin can be used separately or together and instead of or in combination with the Propylene Glycol.

Before use in the present process, the leaf matter has been dried to remove moisture content therefrom. As such, the wetting/soaking/immersion of the leaf matter causes the solvent or solvents to be absorbed by the leaf matter. Effectively, the leaf matter is rehydrated with the solvent or solvents. The absorbed solvent or solvents serves in chemically breaking down the leaf matter and allowing oils contained therein to be more easily vaporized during the vaping process. The leaf matter can be wetted/soaking/immersed for a period of time as low as 2-5 minutes to longer. As discussed below, the leaf matter is preferably wetted/soaked/immersed to facilitate saturation thereof, but not so much as for the solvent or solvents to drip from the tobacco/marijuana/hemp product.

After wetting/soaking/immersion of the leaf matter, the resulting tobacco/marijuana/hemp product can be used in a suitable vaping device. It is noted that the tobacco/marijuana/hemp product must be sized appropriately to fit within the vaping device. As such, the leaf matter can be sized appropriately before and/or after the wetting/soaking/immersion process.

Given the absorption of the solvent or solvents, the vaping process in the suitable vaping device does not cause combustion of the tobacco/marijuana/hemp product. Instead, a suitable vaping device capable of heating the tobacco/marijuana/hemp product to approximately 200 to 640° F. and even as high as 700° F. or higher can vaporize the wetted tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf matter without combustion. A suitable vaping device is disclosed in U.S. Ser. Nos. 62/707,901 and 16/196,465, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

For example, a typical tobacco leaf for burning via cigarette may have 8-10% moisture rate. So at 10% moisture consisting mainly of oils, tobacco having a weight of 200 grams would consist of 180 grams of tobacco leaf material and 20 grams of oil/moisture contained in the tobacco material. For this type of tobacco, the present invention would wet/soak/immerse the tobacco in the solvent or solvents until the total weight of the tobacco increases to between 210 grams and 300 grams. This increase in overall weight is designed to make the tobacco leaf material more readily vaporizable at the temperatures described herein. This rationale is also applicable to typical marijuana or hemp leaves. Dry tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf is designed to burn. The tobacco/marijuana/hemp product of the present invention is configured to vaporize without being so saturated so as to drip solvent.

A more particular example of a tobacco/marijuana/hemp product of the present invention may have an increase in the range of 5 to 10% in overall weight, such as from 200 grams to 210 to 220 grams after absorbing the solvent in the above example. In another example, a tobacco/marijuana/hemp product of the present invention may have an increase in the range of 10 to 20% or 20 to 30% in overall weight, such as from 200 grams to 220 to 240 grams or alternatively from 240 to 260 grams after absorbing the solvent in the above example. In a further example, a tobacco/marijuana/hemp product of the present invention may have an increase in the range of 30 to 40% or 40 to 50% in overall weight, such as from 200 grams to either 260 to 280 grams or alternatively from 280 to 300 grams after absorbing the solvent in the above example.

When comparing the resulting moisture content of the tobacco/marijuana/hemp product of the present invention to traditional tobacco typically used in cigarettes, the moisture content may be multiples higher. While the tobacco/marijuana/hemp product of the present invention is not suitable for burning, it is highly preferable for vaporizing at temperatures ranging from 200 to 640° F. and even as high as 700° F. or higher.

The amount of additional solvent absorbed by the tobacco/marijuana/hemp will vary depending of the absorption properties of the tobacco/marijuana/hemp being used and the ability of the tobacco/marijuana/hemp to retain the solvent therein over an extended period of time. The tobacco/marijuana/hemp product after wetting/soaking/immersion may be stored between production and use for 6 months or more in a moisture-preserving container and/or package. It is desired that the solvent remain in the tobacco/marijuana/hemp product with minimal separation so as not to have a product that unduly drips oil and/or solvent when the tobacco/marijuana/hemp product is put into the vaporizer. It is preferable to have the tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf absorb the solvent toward the higher end of the range of absorption of the tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf yet ensure the tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf is capable of holding the majority of the solvent originally absorbed into the leaf after sitting in a container and/or package for up to approximately 6 months. More preferably the tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf should be able to hold more than 75 percent of the solvent originally absorbed into the leaf after sitting in the container and/or package for 6 months. Yet more preferably the tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf should still hold at least 85 percent of the solvent originally absorbed into the leaf after sitting in the container and/or package for 6 months. Yet a further preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a tobacco/marijuana/hemp product that holds 95 percent of the solvent originally absorbed into the leaf 6 months after packaging. Yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a tobacco/marijuana/hemp product that holds 97 percent of the solvent originally absorbed into the leaf 6 months after packaging. While the above-identified preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in association with tobacco/marijuana/hemp product that holds a particular percentage of the solvent originally absorbed into the leaf after sitting in a container and/or package for 6 months, in other preferred embodiments of a tobacco/marijuana/hemp product these same percentages are retained in the leaf after sitting in a container and/or package for either one year or two years or more. One goal of the tobacco/marijuana/hemp product is to provide a readily vaporizable tobacco/marijuana/hemp product that has a higher moisture level than other available tobacco/marijuana/hemp for use in vaporizers while avoiding an overly wet or high moisture tobacco/marijuana/hemp product that is messy to handle and that drips substantial solvent into the vaporizer.

To prepare the vaping liquids, oils are extracted from tobacco/marijuana/hemp for use the vaping liquids. The process can employ tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf matter provided in either chopped leaf or cube form. The process also employs a solvent such as propylene glycol. Preferably, Archer Daniels Midland 1,2 USP grade Propylene Glycol is used. It is noted that other solvents such as 1,3 Propanediol, high grade (90 proof or better) alcohol (ethanol), and/or glycerin can be used separately or together and instead of or in combination with the Propylene Glycol. The tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf matter is immersed/soaked in the solvent or solvents to obtain the oils therefrom. Ultimately, the oils themselves or a mixture of the oils and the solvent or solvents are obtained via this process.

First, the amounts of the tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf material and the solvent are measured. The method preferably uses 190 grams of the tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf material for 1.000 L of the solvent. This ratio is also equivalent to 25.4 ounces of the tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf material for 1 gallon. The preferred ratio of the tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf matter to the solvent (or slight variations thereof) facilitates the best extraction of the oils from the tobacco/marijuana/hemp. Alternatively, the ratios can range from 22 to 31 ounces for 1 gallon, 23-29 ounces for 1 gallon, or 24-26 ounces for 1 gallon.

Next, the tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf material and the solvent or solvents are mixed in sterile mixing containers in accordance with the above-discussed ratio. In doing so, the tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf matter is immersed/soaked in the solvent or solvents. The period of immersion/soaking typically can range from 30 to 60 days. The preferred immersion/soak time is more than 45 days. Furthermore, the immersion/soak time can depend on how heavy the oils are in the plant matter. For example, 60 days may be needed for very dark tobacco.

Next, upon completion of the immersion/soak, an extraction process is used to separate the liquid from the tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf matter at a macro level. Preferably, a mechanical extraction process is used. For example, all of the contents of a mixing container can be placed into a polymer filter bag. Thereafter, the polymer filter bag is sealed and the polymer filter bag (with the former contents of the mixing container) is placed in a mechanical wine press. During the pressing process, the polymer filter bag serves in preventing visible plant matter (i.e., large particulate of the plant matter at a macro level) from passing therethrough. As the wine press is actuated, the liquid is pressed from the polymer filter bag and the contents therein. In practice, a technician actuates a screw mechanism to compress the polymer filter bag between solid surfaces to force the liquid from the polymer filter bag.

Alternatively, the extraction process can employ a straining process to remove the large particulate of the plant matter from the liquid at a macro level. For example, strainers (or filters) having similar properties to pasta strainers, coffee filters, and/or cheesecloth can be used to remove the plant matter at a macro level from the liquid.

After the extraction process at a macro level is complete, the remaining liquid is sent through a multi-stage filtration system to remove plant matter at a micro level therefrom. Preferably, the filtration system removes the particulate at 2 microns or larger. However, alternatively the particulate can be removed from between 1 microns or larger, 1.5 microns or larger, 2.5 microns or larger, 3.0 microns or larger, or 3.5 microns or larger.

After the extraction and filtering processes are complete, the liquid (i.e., the oils from the tobacco/marijuana/hemp leaf matter and the solvent or solvents) remains and may or may not require additional processing. For example, if only Propylene Glycol is used, the liquid can be ready for use as a vaping liquid. However, if others of the above-mentioned solvents are used, the oils and Propylene Glycol (if also used) requires separation therefrom. The oils and Propylene Glycol (if also used) can be separated from the other solvent or solvents via evaporation, skimming, and/or separation processes. Thereafter, the remaining liquid can be ready for use by itself or in another mixture as a vaping liquid.

It should be understood that various aspects disclosed herein may be combined in different combinations than the combinations specifically presented in the description and the accompanying drawings. It should also be understood that, depending on the example, certain acts or events of any of the processes or methods described herein may be performed in a different sequence, may be added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g., all described acts or events may not be necessary to carry out the techniques). In addition, while certain aspects of this disclosure are described as being performed by a single module or unit for purposes of clarity, it should be understood that the techniques of this disclosure may be performed by a combination of units or modules. 

We claim:
 1. A method for preparing a vaping liquid, the method comprising: providing leaf matter containing plant oil; mixing the leaf matter and a liquid solvent or liquid solvents by immersing and/or soaking the leaf matter with the liquid solvent or liquid solvents in a sterile container for at least 30 days; extracting liquid from the mixture of leaf matter and the liquid solvent or liquid solvents; and filtering the separated liquid to remove the leaf matter of 3.5 microns to larger from the separated liquid.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating, after the extraction act, the liquid solvent or liquid solvents from the separated liquid to result in oil or oils derived from the leaf matter.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the separation act occurs via at least one of evaporation and skimming processes.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the immersion and/or the soaking of the leaf matter in the liquid solvent or liquid solvents occurs for at least 45 days.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the immersion and/or the soaking of the leaf matter in the liquid solvent or liquid solvents occurs for at least 60 days.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the extraction act is performed by removing visible leaf matter of the leaf matter from the liquid.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the filtering act is performed by removing particulate of the leaf matter greater than 3 microns from the liquid.
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the filtering act is performed by removing particulate of the leaf matter greater than 2 microns from the liquid.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the leaf matter to the liquid solvent or liquid solvents is 190 grams of the leaf matter to 1.0 liter of the liquid solvent or liquid solvents.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the leaf matter to the liquid solvent or liquid solvents is 22 to 31 ounces of the leaf matter to 1.0 gallon of the liquid solvent or liquid solvents. 